Chinese RUBBISH!...Why do we buy it?

Updated on October 26, 2008

Quality gone missing...

Chinese RUBBISH!!!...Why do we buy it…?

In past previous years, the quality in goods offered by retail chains in America has declined to the depths of antipathy. When one inquires about the origin of such wretched merchandise, the term “Made in China” will ultimately turn up on the product’s outer layer somewhere. The geography of the retailer in America seems not to make a difference. Most retail chain from coast to coast that I have visited, stocks the same worthless rubbish and the entirety of it seems to be “Made in China”

I love and respect the Chinese people, but that does little to patch up the loathing in my sole caused by the poor quality reflected in their manufactured goods. Recently I went on a camping trip and stopped by a retail outlet to pick up a manual can opener. As I was looking at the displayed kitchen gadget I found what I wanted displayed among similar utensils, or rather what I thought I wanted. The first evening I dug the can opener out and clamped it down on the top of a can of green beans, to began rolling it around the top. The little wheel that cuts out the top had in fact punctured the top as I gripped it firmly and squeezed, but as I began rolling the little cutting wheel around the can’s top with the flat handle, the little cutting wheel broke off and fell to the floor. What the devil, is going on, I thought, as I looked over the remaining piece of the completely new contraption. On the backside of the handle was a clear imprint, “Made in China”. “Where on earth” is the “root” of this distressing setback in the quality of goods offered to consumers in America… hiding?

How about this!, what if a never before heard of magnificently huge chain retail store suddenly came to your town, built a huge retail outlet, never before seen by the locals, and promoted grand openings with stocks and varieties of goods from groceries to say…automobile parts. With prices so cheap, that it had everyone in the county scrambling to get there fast and get some of those bargains. And it is not surprising, because a good bargain is hard to pass up. The event blew Mom and Pop stores right off the square. Eventually, forcing them out of business with extremely competitive prices, managed by bulk buying and stocking merchandise from selected U.S. manufacturers. Mom and Pop could not afford to compete (much less stock an entire warehouse with products).

Moreover, what if, once Mom and Pop stores were out of business, consumers noticed a rise in the huge chain’s pricing and eventually were even more pricy than Mom and Pop stores was. Soon after, the huge chain decides to boost its profits further by shaving off more expense. Since the huge chain’s employees are mostly working for minimum wage, only two major conventional methods of raising retail profits remain (one) on the front end by cutting cost of restocking inventory and (two) on the rear end by raising retail prices. Since the huge chain has literally wrung out most of its manufacturer’s profits by demanding lower pricing, and coupled to fact that the manufacturer has expanded its manufacturing facilities, with huge investments, to accommodate the huge chain’s previous gigantic orders for goods, it cannot afford to unnerve its “grown to depend on bread and butter” from Mr. Chain. The leveraged out manufacturer now trudges along operating with just enough profits to meet its commitments to its suppliers of raw material and employees. By now, Mom and Pop stores are so lost that they need a miracle to ever recover and come back.

The huge chain now realizes that it is getting the best possible deal from both ends of its potential profits. From its manufacturer to its customers, so it decides to look elsewhere for manufactured goods, perhaps overseas. The huge chain knows about overseas manufacturers and that they are cheaper than American manufacturers, mainly because of the “offset” in labor cost, so it proceeds overseas to purchase products for its string of retail stores from foreign manufacturers. In fact, the labor is so cheap there that the “off set” will not only cover its cost of shipping the products to America’s markets, but also boost its profits to an unprecedented level. Therefore, Mr. Chain establishes contracts to restock its inventories from foreign manufacturers.

Shortly after establishing trade with foreign countries and especially China with ascending record profits, Mr. Chain notices that some foreign manufacturers use low grade or quality raw material and with little or no interest to its origin, to produce their products. Yep, you guessed it; Mr. Chain sees opportunity for more profits yet, so it demands cheaper goods. Now, Mr. Chain has literally demanded the absolute lowest price possible and still expects the manufacturer to survive, and with apparently little regard to the safety of the consumer.

The results of this “quality whacking machine” are what consumers are offered today in Mr. Chain’s huge retail stores. The content of some of this stuff is frightening. Foodstuffs coming from China are poisoning American consumers and their pets. So, I ask all Americans, where is the root of this yearly string of worthless poisonous rubbish that is flooding retail chains? Does the truth of “why” its here in America, lie with Mr. Chain or with Mr. and Mrs. Consumer that performs the act of buying the refuse.

Comments 32 comments

I'm a Made in USA shopper whenever possible. I wish I could say always.

Should we be revisiting the nonsense idea that American made goods are of lesser quality? (Nodding YES.)

It's crazy how public perception of products and companies hold more sway than the reality. Some folks still believe that buying poisonous plastic that never biodegrades is a better option For The Environment. I wish I was getting royalties from that advertising campaign. They did a better job than the tobacco guys.

We have the same problem in Australia. I closed my business which sold quality car hoists for workshops rather than sell the dangerous crap coming in from China. It is so bad, no one will service it! The warranty and backup is non existent as are spare parts a lot of the time as well.

People will die under these hoists. I know, first hand what the material quality is, and failure is inevitable.

AEvans 7 years ago from SomeWhere Out There

I buy whenever I can goods that are labeled, "Made In The U.S.A." and try to steer clear from some things that say made in China. I have many Asian friends however I prefer U.S. made products or any other Country besides China with no disrepsect to Asia.:)

pylos26 7 years ago from America Author

Hi AEvans...been a long time since we chatted...its harder and harder to stir clear of china made product. I hope you and yours are having a merry season.

pylos26 7 years ago from America Author

Hello Earnest...

sounds like you are a true victom of chinese products...I cannot imagine what the answer might be...especially sinse the chinese are building cargo ships a mile long to haul the stuff over in.

K Partin 7 years ago from Garden City, Michigan

Damn hard not to buy Chinese, they flood the market we're drowning! They own us, what a shame! Good hub. Thanks.

pylos26 7 years ago from America Author

i agree

d hughes 6 years ago

As commented earlier, we have the same problem here in australia. I would like to buy Australian if i could find it. I actually found a product recently that was made in england. Wow i was surprised! The best place to find the most products that aren't chinese is actually your local liquor store. Heaps of good european stuff there!

pylos26 6 years ago from America Author

Spot on Doug...thanks for reading.

ian holding 6 years ago

We have the same problems in England ! This chinese rubbish is blighting our stores and our landfill dump sites as it only lasts a few minutes ! You get what you pay for ? Fir comment but we don't get the damn choice ! That's my argument. Gredy shareholders are to blame ! Even Doc Marten boots are being made in China now ! how bad is that !

pylos26 6 years ago from America Author

That's pretty bad Ian...I agree with you...thanks

William 6 years ago

I do my best to avoid buying Chinese junk. I don't care if I have to pay more. Unfortunately in Europe, the country of origin isn't always clearly marked (as it is for example in Australia). Only if the product is say, made in Germany, France or the UK can you be guaranteed of it being labelled. I had to buy a new toaster recently and found a company called Ritterwerk who still makes the things in Germany. It wasn't all that expensive but its built like a tank, looks great and makes great toast. There are still quite a lot of manufacturers there that make alternatives to Chinese products. I know my efforts alone are futile but it still makes me feel better knowing I'm buying something safe that will last and where the people who made them have decent working conditions.

pylos26 6 years ago from America Author

I'm in agreement with you William...thanks for commenting.

harjeet 6 years ago

support freedom .Dont buy Chinese .The money just goes to chinese dictators that bully small countries.So they can stay in power

stina 6 years ago

A riend of mine bought a coffee maker made in China and got a bad electric shock from the switch which made both her arms shake violantly.She was rushed to the hospital with sky high blood pressure and is lucky to be alive.Had she had a pace maker, she would have been dead. These products should be banned.I never buy anything from China. Apart from producing rubbish and dangerous goods their abuse of animals is beyond belief.

pylos26 6 years ago from America Author

I agree Stina...anything electrical from China should be avoided until they build them safer.

jenny 5 years ago

reasons for poor quality for China-made goods are below:

1. some factory owners in China have learnt only "half-bucket" techniques and knowledge and then set up factories already and perform own production - they think they know everything, BUT BUT BUT many things they don't know so they have no way to produce good quality products out.

2. too low price paid by the buyers

so they need to cut away necessary craftmanship and materials and cause quality problems

Simon 5 years ago

Great post. We make 75% of our gardening products in the UK and France. I wonder if the Australian person who spotted made in England, had seen one of our garden pressure sprayers , as we ship thousands to Oz. We need a march of the makers !

Jorge Cabrita 5 years ago

To manufacture these trhow away products,China uses the good raw materials extracted from this Earth which are wasted because I do not believe they can be all effectively recycled.

Also to replace these bad purchases we end up wasting our available time that costs money and petrol that is so expensive.

Clive Holland 4 years ago

I had a furniture shop which went bust because all UK suppliers now buy from China. The quality is useless so people complain, return the goods and then instead of making you a profit it costs you money. I lost thousands because of this. However, I believe the problem lies with Western Government and our academic institiutions which continually advocate outsourcing and utilising cheap labour markets. It doesn't work. Instability causes failure. Outsouring is destructive and cheap foreign goods are so inferior that they end up destroying our markets. Even after thirty years and the worst financial crisis in history these jokers still don't get it.

gleebluewish 4 years ago from China

man, pls to buy anything that you want to buy, enough. if you needn't, but something occupied in market,you want to know more pls go outside and and ask anybody whom you meet.

LeanMan 4 years ago from At the Gemba

The problem now is that so many of us are made unemployed through outsourcing of manufacturing jobs to china that most people can only afford the shoddy rubbish!

Hopefully the last few remaining companies manufacturing in the west will manage to remain and improve themselves rather than give in to outsourcing in the pursuit of short term profit gains.

tommy. 4 years ago

I deal in aftersales in furniture and repair it aswell.The quality of most furniture is poor from china.It may look good but it will not last.Example.they use building foam in seat cushions on settees,chairs etc.This foam is only to be used around the arm areas and frame work.After sitting on a cushion with this foam in for a couple of months it either stops returning to its original shape or you start leaning to one side when sat on it.Also the leather coating will fade [rub off ]in a short space of time,springs,webbing,screws,glue etc that are used in constuction of furniture is normally of a poor quality aswell.Were better off buying a few pallets and making our own stuff.Tommy from England

Dave Duncan 4 years ago

Tally up all the Chinese product that you have thrown away after hardly any use over say a year, you will be astounded. Factor this into the sum of what you would of paid for equal quality products. You may feel cheated and should cure you of buying their suff and also make you wonder who is taking your hard earned income.

When they stop putting made in China labels on things then we will have a real problem.

Michael in London 4 years ago

I agree with the first post; and most of the others. In the UK we are also flooded with rubbish, and it's dangerous too. Electric plugs and sockets which fall apart, sharp objects and toys which are self-destruct, and very little made to last.

There are at least three ways to deal with it;

1 - local authorities have to restrict planning permission for the big stores which buy in this crap, so they really don't have anywhere to expand; if authorities don't restrict building, don't vote them back in

2 - safety issues need higher profile publicity to stop people buying (because low price will pull them in otherwise, but maybe if they thought their kids could be killed by this stuff, they'd think again)

3 - shareholders need to understand that the companies they own have an ethical responsility to consumers and the employees of suppliers (or is private equity taking over all of our big companies and displaying no other motivation than profit?).

In the long run, the Chinese will get inflation and price themselves out of the market (I hope)

kenneth johns 3 years ago

What I am now worried about, is the fact that our future NUKE power stations are to be built by the CHINESE !!!..........then we really will be in serious trouble !......Mark my words !

Calvin Stywn 2 years ago

I bought a bargain priced office desk last month and it was a very cold night in Dunsfold.

When I put my laptop and ipad on it, it decides to split in half and I was shocked by it! I complainted to the retail guy and he said 'It's chinese, if you want a better thing buy that steel german desk...' WTF? Can't chinese made stuff better than this? Fuck you cheap chinese furniture makers!

Hoping better quality from 'made in china' stuff.

Woking, UK.

Quality Conscious 18 months ago

Unfortunately China has no Q/C because they are so busy pumping out Rubbish they don't take time to check. China produces 25% of the world’s Rubbish. China is faster and cheaper than anyone on the planet. China can produce more than America, Russia, and France & GB combined China is used by manufacturers who require mass production at the cheapest rate for maximum profits. Thus because everything is made so quickly using the cheapest materials you get Rubbish which will disintegrate very quickly Service and spare parts are non-existent because the products would be too expensive to repair and the warranties are treated like toilet paper. Chinese products should be boycotted and all rubbish returned to China otherwise the world will become a massive rubbish dump

Quality Conscious 18 months ago

Unfortunately here in Australia it is becoming increasingly difficult to buy something which is NOT made in China because retailers (especially chain stores) are putting profits ahead of quality regardless of customer complaints and concerns because they know that no matter where you go you will be buying made in China. Ironically when you complain about the poor quality of a product which has failed soon after purchase, you are treated with rough justice because you are made to feel racially biased until even the Asians come along for a refund or a replacement because their purchases also fell apart. Personally I always buy "Top of the Range" because I am quality conscious I want the best and I want value for money.

Unfortunately because it has more features and functions that means there are more things to contribute to its failure. To add agony to ire you need to copy the receipt several times because the original fades and becomes invalid. Thus when something fails which is still under warranty you need" PROOF OF PURCHASE". Therefore it is a good practice to have a receipts folder in addition to taxation records for "Purchases made in China" because from personal experience I have had at least a dozen failed products. All top brands and top of the range German American or Japanese in origin but all were "Made in China" where production is swift but quality is non existent.

Paul 14 months ago

Over the last 30 years imported Chinese rubbish along with free trade agreements has virtually wiped out Australian manufacturing. Hundreds of thousands of Australian workers have lost their jobs and have become the working poor trying to survive on part time jobs while successive governments betray the workers of Australia taking away any assistance that will bring them out of poverty.

I am talking from experience my business was destroyed along with all the others that were involved in the local chain of supply.

Phil Black 15 hours ago

Products made in China are inherently manufactured from inferior materials. We as a western society MUST boycott the stores that retail these products. This is the only way to put a stop to it...starve them OUT our stores.